Big Bend in March is busy with lots of visitors. Weather was great but birding was fair. Birding it seems improves as the weather gets warmer. They have a checklist available on the national park's website and for this time of year use the Fall/Winter checklist. The wildflowers were in bloom and were worth the trip alone.
I birded three places all in the desert area, Cottonwood Springs Campground, Rio Grand Villiage, and Sam Niel Ranch. Both of the campgrounds were very near the river and the ranch has a water source also. The Chisos Mountain Campground is a great spot for birding as well but time and the crowd didn't allow me to find many birds there. It was too far and I didn't have enought time to take my pony (I like to ride while birding)but I will definitely consider it for another trip. There were lots of birds in the desert and a long ride into the mountians or across the desert would have been, most likely, productive.
No pictures this time due to a camera problem.
Here is what I was able to find in the two days I was there.
Dates March 11 and 12, 2005.
Pied Billed Grebe, Blue Winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, American Kestrel, Wild Turkey, Sora,Spotted Sandpiper, White winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Roadrunner, Western Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Lesser Nighthawk, White throated Swift, Golden FrontedWoodpecker, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Ash throated Flycatcher, Rough winged Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Common Raven, Bushtit, Canyon Wren, Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Norther Mockingbird, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Rumped Warbler, Norther Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Brewer's Sparrow, Blackthroated Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Brewer's Balckbird, Great-tailed Grackle and a house finch.
I hope to go again later in the year when more birds from Mexico are present.